Colangelo Appointed to Stern's New Competition Committee

Previously, and for what seems like the last 25 years, rules changes were the exclusive domain of the league’s general managers. Owners and coaches were not a part of the process. Unless the GMs wanted to make a change, it never got to a vote.

But in recent years, that system had not been working for Stern. So he ordered the change.

This was a commissioner-driven production, even though the league made it a point to announce that its owners called for the change. According to ownership sources, they did, but only after Stern first went to them and told them he wanted a new, smaller committee that would implement the changes he is seeking before he retires. He has told friends he’s probably going to step down after two more seasons.

The new committee was hand-picked by Stern and consists of two owners, four GMs and three coaches. When they come up with rules changes, those will go directly to the 30 owners for their consideration and vote.

“Stern is looking for more control,” said a source. “He hasn’t been able to get some things done because he’s had to deal with 30 general managers and he can’t control them. But now he has his people on the committee.”
Stern’s new committee is expected to work on two major rules changes right away: Adopting the international rule for goaltending, meaning that balls could be legally knocked off the rim or backboard that now would result in a basket; and penalizing “floppers.”

Stern has talked to GMs in the past about changing the goaltending rule, but never got anywhere. But now he’ll have a more receptive group to consider what would be a dramatic change in the defensive rules.

As for flopping, Stern recently came out strongly against the tactic, after the league fined Indiana coach Frank Vogel $15,000 for saying before the Miami-Indiana series that the Heat is the “biggest flopping team in the NBA.”

I really hope the international goltending rules are brought in to the NBA. This will be great with Valanciunas coming over next year. Not only will be a step ahead of alot of the players in that aspect of the game because he is already playing with that rule in Europe but its something that Jonas is very good due to his long wing span. I also suspect there will be some problems for some players during the transition period to the new rule.

As for the flopping rule .... FINALLY ! but i can see the NBAtrying to get rid of flopping and then everything going back to normal after players and coaches complaining in preseason. (similar to the technicals being called for complaining to the refs last year.we all know how that turned out .